In general there are high requirements on authentication, integrity and confidentiality in relation to applications for personal and private use.
Specifially, in relation applications directed towards children, such as devices embedded in toys, safety and security issues are even more important.
While advanced user devices such as mobile phones, especially so called smart phones, may provide full end-to-end security provided by e.g. a Public Land Mobile Network, end devices such as embedded devices accessing/connecting via a local network such as e.g. WiFi do not have access to the security infrastructure provided by e.g. a PLMN for the last leg between an access point and the end device.
Further, the system must be stable and easy to use, partly because the user interface in an embedded device has limited capabilities, and partly because the user may have limited dexterity or ability to assimilate or utilize written instructions, such as a written manual.
By means of a user device such as e.g. smart phone, a personal computer, PC, or a tablet PC, a user can communicate with another user over a communication channel that is encrypted, end-to-end. Such user devices have significant processing and memory capabilities and can therefore use existing enterprise-class solutions for secure communication. Authentication methods used in such solutions are usually based on certificates.
Appliances in a home, e.g. toys, sensors or white goods could benefit from communicating with servers on the Internet in a secure way since data to be transferred may be sensitive. However, embedded communication devices in such appliances usually have far too low processing and or memory capability to implement existing solutions.
Some appliances are battery-powered, and therefore the communication time must be minimized to ensure that the power consumption is kept at minimum level. Another reason for minimizing power consumption is the need to reduce the generation of heat in cases where an embedded device is embedded within an appliance in relation to which heat generation is inconvenient or even unsafe, such as soft toy.